Riding Moratorium

The Brown Berets, the “Chicano Power” and “Viva Zapata” chants, the Aztec Dancers, and all the faithful protesters came together at the 42nd Chicano Moratorium in East Los Angeles. But, when the march ended at Ruben Salazar Park, all eyes were on the bikes: perfectly polished, silvery, gleaming under the afternoon sun. From a microphone not so distant, a voice called for better education, for an end to deportations, for the preservation of the collective memory, for social awareness: “I don’t care if we have a Latino mayor. I don’t care if we have a black president. Our communities are still struggling.” All heard it but they also looked at the bike and took pictures with it. And someone said: “Damn….homeboy put lot of money into it.”